“Rules concerning veteran care change. That’s why we have invited all the federal, state and county agencies who provide veteran services to participate in a Veterans and Spouse Information Fair on April 2 in Sun City Center,” said Bill Hodges, member of Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter 10, which is sponsoring the event.

The three-hour event (1 to 4 p.m.) in the SCC Community Association Community Hall, 1910 S. Pebble Beach will be formatted to facilitate one-on-one conversations. Personnel from the agencies and organizations will be assigned to tables for the entire afternoon; there will be no formal presentation. Veterans are encouraged to bring their DD214 along with them. If they don’t have it, they will be shown how to get one.

Because of the mid-May opening of the Riverview clinic of the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, there is heightened interest in medical care right now and an army of representatives from Haley will be on hand to provide information and discuss individual issues. Veterans receiving care at the VA in Tampa or another facility and wish to transfer can do so at this gathering.

In addition, the following Haley services will be present: Women’s Health, Geriatrics and Extended Care, Patient Advocate, My Healthy Vet, Suicide Prevention, Community Care, Patient Experience, Patient Travel, Outreach, Whole Health, Voluntary, LGBT, and a Flu Shot Station.

The Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, Hillsborough County Veterans Affairs Department, Crisis Center of Tampa Bay and Sarasota National Cemetery also plan to attend.  

The DAV will have service officers available and other military-related organizations who will have tables are American Legion, Military Order of World Wars (MOWW), Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), Leathernecks, Daughters of American Revolution and My Warriors Place. Sun Radio which airs Veterans Corner will also be on site.

While visiting the fair, be sure to check out the new SCC Veterans Memorial in front of the Hall. Walt Cawein will be manning a table with order blanks on hand for bricks to be added to the memorial foundation.  

In the photo: Disabled American Veterans Chapter #110 representative Bill Hodges meets with Sam Soria, of the SCC CA and Alicia Burden Public Information Officer at the James A. Haley VA hospital to plan the table layout for the upcoming information fair. Don’t miss it April 2 from 1 to 4 p.m.